This Isn't the End
by katilange
Summary: There was a wrench in the gears of a Billionaire's mind. And the wrench happened to be 6 year-old Peter Parker, an adorable little kid who's last three living relatives all died in a week. Everything was telling him this wouldn't be easy… but he knew that the moment he saw a curly haired boy reading in the corner. (warnings at the beginning of each chapter)
1. How Close is the Ending?

**A/N: This is yet another new story that I couldn't get out of my head! It's based off of one of my favorite songs, This Isn't the End by Owl City. If you come from my other current stories, I'm still working on them, promise. This just means updates are going to be even farther apart. Sorry!**

**CONCERNING THE STORY: This is purely AU, but follows the movies up to Civil War. Except, Tony doesn't recruit Spider-Man, because Peter is little in this story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics and melody to This Isn't the End.**

**Warnings: Mentions of suicide.**

There was a wrench in the gears of a Billionaire's mind. And the wrench happened to be 6 ½ year-old Peter Parker, an adorable little kid who's last three living relatives all died in a week, within two days of each other. Everything was telling him this wouldn't be easy… but he knew that the moment he saw a curly haired boy reading in the corner.

Tony hadn't planned on the kid. In fact, he hadn't even planned to visit the orphanage that afternoon, it was just something Pep said would be good for the press. The truth was, he didn't like orphanages. That isn't to say he didn't feel terrible for the kids, but it seemed like a flawed system, and he hated to see hundreds of children without parents. So, he donated (weekly, in fact), but tried to avoid actually going inside of them.

He himself was actually an orphan. Tony realized this fact as he ruffled the little girl's hair and signed her Iron Man mask. Although he was an old man now, or at least he felt like it, he was still an orphan. No mom or dad. But, he had Pepper, and Rhodey, and the team… and that was enough for him.

The little boy in the corner caught his attention. While the other kids were flocked around him, gazing in awe, the little boy seemed to almost cower in the corner. He fiddled with his thin jacket and hid behind his curly brown hair. He couldn't have been more than six or seven.

Tony stood, strutting over and crouching down in front of him. "Hey, buddy." The kid shifted his feet and didn't say anything. "What's your name?" Still not getting a response, he held out his own hand. "I'm Tony."

"I know," the little boy said, barely audible. He glanced up shyly. "You're… Iron Man," he said before quickly looking back down.

The billionaire noticed a pair of plastic Iron Man gauntlets lying on the ground and nodded at them. "Well, it looks to me like you're better dressed for a hero than I am, kid."

"Mine aren't real. They don't even have real repulsors… and I don't have an arc reactor," he said quietly, blushing. He was small enough to struggle with some of the words. A loose tooth caused a slight lisp, and he couldn't quite pronounce the r's correctly.

Regardless, Tony was shocked. Most kids this young called it the "glowy chest thing" or something. This boy was smart, like genius smart (at least for a six-year-old). The fact of the matter was, he reminded Tony of himself.

"Yeah, I guess that's true." He was swept away by the lady who ran the orphanage, Mary Anne Lee, and in a flurry of pictures and press, he lost track of the little genius.

xXx

An hour later, as he was preparing to leave, he caught a glimpse of the boy again. He was sitting at a table, scribbling on some paper and sticking his tongue out. Tony was man enough to admit that it was adorable, and he smiled.

"Hey, who is that?" He asked Mary, pointing.

"Oh him? That's Peter Parker. Poor dear's father died last week, and his last living relatives, Aunt and Uncle I think it was, they died a day after in an mugging incident. Can you believe that? That poor, poor boy." She frowned sympathetically, placing a slightly wrinkled hand over her heart. "I can only hope someone adopts him. But that's all we can hope for any of these kids."

What a story. Tony had come across many bouts of bad luck in his day, but that was a whole new level of unfortunate.

"What happened to his dad?"

Mary's frown deepened. "Suicide."

xXx

"I'm telling you, Pep, this kid is special. And, I don't know… I just-"

Pepper smiled sadly, brushing her soft hair into a ponytail. The morning sun filtered in through the blinds, lighting it and making it shine like gold. She finished applying her makeup, basically ready for work now.

"Every kid is special, Tony. But come on, I don't think you're ready for… _adopting_ him? I mean, you just learned how to take care of yourself. This is a child we're talking about."

She slid on her shoes, a sleek pair of black pumps.

"He… he reminds me of myself. He's alone, and- and a genius, and he needs someone to believe in him. And, I don't know. Maybe I thought that person could be me…" Tony trailed off, looking out of the window. "I guess I was wrong."

Pepper smiled again. "If you really want to do this… I won't stop you. But it's a big responsibility. And, after everything, I just want you to make sure you're absolutely certain you're ready."

Tony stood and hugged her. "This is why I'm marrying you."

She kissed his cheek and smirked. "I know. You'd be lost without me."

xXx

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, I'm having a hard time understanding." Mrs. Lee pulled on her glasses and stared down her nose at the papers Tony had just handed her.

"I'd like to, uh. Adopt him." He folded his arms, uncomfortable under her incredulous gaze. She thought he couldn't do this, which made sense. His reputation over the years had… varied.

"Yes, but it's not that simple. There are various layers of-"

"I know. I've got the best lawyers this side of New York. I'm prepared to undergo the process, Mrs. Lee."

She looked surprised at his enthusiasm for the subject. "Very well. Let's have a chat with Peter before we get down to the nitty gritty, shall we?"

He noticed she had a slight accent… maybe Australian? Either way, she stood and moved out of the room, down the hall, and into a bedroom with about 10 sets of bunk beds. A few boys were playing with a hacky sack, laughing and joking. Peter sat apart from them, turning the pages of a book.

Tony smiled.

"Peter!" The short woman called, capturing the attention of the entire room. They all turned and gaped, seeing Iron Man in the doorway. Peter's mouth dropped open and he hesitantly followed them back to the office, sticking close behind Mrs. Lee.

They arrived and sat, Tony and Mary facing the boy. He appeared very small in the chair, adding to the effect by shrinking in on himself and staring intently at his hands.

"Peter, dear, Mr. Stark has something to discuss with you." She indicated Tony. "He would like to… to adopt you."

Peter's eyes went as big as disks, forgetting his shyness and directing his full attention to the billionaire.

"Now, this'll be quite a process, dear. And only if you'd like to live with him, of course. It's all up to you."

"So," Tony said, as casually as he could. He was trying not to show how fast his heart was pounding and the few drops of sweat that formed in his palms. "Whaddaya say, kiddo?"

The boy sat in shock for a moment longer, then nodded vigorously. His brown curls bounced up and down. In a small voice, he asked, "C-could I really?"

"Yep." Tony replied, popping the 'p'. His dark brown eyes shone as he grinned at Peter's excited smile.

He was going to have a kid.

xXx

4 parenting books, 3 weeks, two lawyers, and one mental breakdown later, Tony Stark was on his way to pick up a kid. His kid. His hands tightened on the steering wheel. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this. I mean, building a couple multi-million dollar super-suits was easy, but parenting? He wasn't so sure. And, on top of this bull from Secretary Ross and the Accords...

Rhodey bumped his shoulder from the passenger seat. His metal leg braces whirred and clicked softly. "Hey man, you good?"

"I don't know, Rhodey. Two months ago I was fighting my best friends in an airport, one month ago I saw a little kid who reminded me of myself, and for some reason I decided to adopt him and here I am now… on my way to take him home, and I- I don't know. What if… what if I turn out like my dad?"

Rhodey stayed still for a solid five seconds, before sighing. "I can't tell you how you will or will not be… as a- a. A dad. But I can tell you that you will not turn out like him. The fact that you're so concerned proves that."

Tony heard the asphalt crunch through the open window as they pulled up to the orphanage. This was it. He turned the car off, hand hovering over the door handle.

"You gonna open it?" Rhodey called from outside. Tony rolled his eyes, took a deep breath to calm his nerves, and got out.

"I don't know if I can do this," he muttered as they made their way to the door. It didn't really look like an orphanage. At least, not the kind you see in movies. It was pretty small, just two stories, square, and beige. The windows were cloudy and the doors were slanted. He made a mental note to call someone about that.

"Hey," his best friend said. "You got this. Just… roll with the punches."

"Yeah, yeah… the punches."

Peter was waiting for them, dressed in his ratty blue jacket and baggy jeans, and holding a small backpack. He looked the pair up and down, hiding behind Mrs. Lee's legs a little.

"Hi buddy. You ready to go?" Tony bent down a little to look at the kid in the eyes. Large, brown, curious eyes that stared at him with a mix of excitement and fear. _He's scared. I can't do this._

The little boy nodded and quickly fled from Mrs. Lee's leg to Tony's. He clutched the man's suit pants in his tiny fist and grabbed his backpack tighter. Rhodey smiled at his friend's surprised face.

"Oh," Tony said. He recovered by ruffling Peter's hair and resting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Uh, here is the final paperwork." He handed the woman across from them a small file. She glanced through it briefly, then looked back up at them.

"Congratulations, Mr. Stark. You're a father."

xXx

"What do you think, kiddo? You like it?"

He nudged Peter past the threshold into the living room, making the child release his grip on his pants. The boy inched forward, mouth open.

"You live here?"

This had to have been the biggest room Peter had ever seen. There were several plush couches and complimentary TV's facing a huge stone fireplace. On the opposite side, large windows looked out across New York, hundreds of feet from the ground. He ran over to them, pressing his nose against the glass in wonder. Peter had always thought about flying… he guessed this was as close as he was going to get.

"Yeah," Tony chuckled. "I do live here. And you do, too."

"Wow, Mr. Tony. This is so high up…" he waved slowly to the streets, doubting the people could see him, but too in awe to care.

"Just call me Tony, kid." He had been too afraid to even think about if Peter wanted to call him Dad. The whole idea was crazy… and his Dad was dead, recently. It would probably hurt the boy this soon after.

Peter moved back to him, reaching up and grabbing Tony's hand. "Ok," the boy said. "Do you sleep on the couches?"

This time, his guardian laughed, closing his hand over Peter's. "No. We have rooms, bud. You have your own room here."

His kid looked up, eyes wide. "Really? I don't… I don't have to share?"

From the elevator, Rhodey leaned against the wall. He was unable to keep the smile from his face. Dang, this kid was cute.

"That's right, little man. You got your own Casa de Peter," he said. "Right next to mine."

Tony looked grateful, and Peter looked delighted. "Yeah. We can go check it out, and then watch a movie. Sound good?"

Peter nodded. "Is Mrs. Pepper coming to visit?" He had only met Pepper a few times, but she loved him instantly... like Tony did.

"She lives here too. But, she's really busy so we won't see her a lot."

"Ok."

Tony led the boy to his room, which was the smallest one in the penthouse. It had a bunk bed pushed against one wall, with bookshelves and a dresser against another. One wall held a door to the balcony (which Tony made sure FRIDAY kept diligently locked).

He offered Peter three different options he had chosen for bedsheets: Cars, trucks or Avengers, trying not to feel a little pride when his kid chose Avengers. Peter looked a little puzzled after they made the bed, pointing at Cap's face.

"Is he a bad guy now?"

Tony tried to ignore the bubble of hurt and irritation at his former friends million-dollar-smile. He sat next to Peter on the bed, trying to figure out a way to explain.

"No, Pete, I don't think he's a bad guy. I think he was just…" _Betraying his friend and covering with a false sense of heroism_. "Making a bad choice."

"Jason said he hurt you in a fight. Is he going to hurt you again?"

_Jason? Who's Jason?_ "No, I don't think so," he said, trying to convey confidence. In reality, he had no idea what Cap was going to do next. He didn't think Steve would fight with them again, but he also didn't trust the man anymore. Not after Siberia.

In a small voice, he asked, "Would he hurt me?"

"Not while I'm around."

Peter seemed satisfied with that answer, so he shoved himself off of the bed. "Ok."

They made their way to the living room and watched Men in Black, which apparently was the kid's favorite movie, inviting Rhodey to join them. He declined, as it was time for his "work-out". That's what he called physical therapy.

As the movie went on, Tony couldn't get the kid's face out of his head when he asked if Captain America would hurt him. _Looks like I'm not the only one wondering that anymore._

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed and please leave your thoughts (good or bad) in the reviews! **

**See you next time,**

**-katilange :D**


	2. Nobody Knows

**A/N: Hey all! I've been writing nonstop with this story, but after the next chapter, I can't promise this fast of an upload. I do have other stories haha. Anyway, thanks for the love and the reviews, and feel free to continue giving your thoughts! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own This Isn't the End or any of it's lyrics/melody.**

**WARNINGS: Brief mention of suicide and a fight.**

"The rumors regarding my fiance are somewhat true. Tony has adopted a child." Murmurs rang out in the crowd, but no one interrupted. No one ever interrupted Pepper. "For now, we wish to leave many details out. All you need to know is his name is Peter and he is 6 years old. We would like to ask that the press respects our privacy. No further questions will be asked." Pepper motioned for Tony to leave, changing her topic to the Accords. Cap and Company had finally been pardoned, and the Accords were being rewritten. In the audience, the reporters shifted, itching to get a story from him. He left, anxious to get backstage where Peter was waiting.

The little boy was scribbling in his notebook, which Tony had found out he liked to do. What he was writing or drawing was a mystery, the kid never showed him, but he didn't care. Let Peter do what he wanted in that thing. It was probably just cartoons or something.

"Hey, kiddo. Ready to go?"

Peter nodded, placing his notebook and pens carefully in his backpack and swinging it over his shoulder. "Are we going to school now?"

"Yep. But first, we're going to play a game." Tony crouched down to explain. "It's called Dodge the Cameras. And here's how it goes: If you see a camera, look away and run to me, alright? For the first time, can I hold you?"

"I thought I was too big for that…" Peter said, cocking his head. "And why are we playing this game?"

"We don't want the reporters to bug you yet. And yeah, you're big, but it'll make it easier."

"Ok." He held out his arms, expecting to be lifted. Tony obliged, scooping him up. The kid was really light.

"Now, hide your face in my shoulder, and we're gonna run."

Peter did so and giggled when they started to jog. Once Tony made it to the back door he peered out, making the whole display melodramatic (he was really just looking to see if Happy was there, which he was, holding the door of a black Audi with tinted windows).

"Coast is clear," he whispered, earning another giggle. "Ready… set… go!"

Tony pushed the door open and dashed to the car, ignoring the shouts of protest when the reporters realized what he was doing. Happy slammed the door, pushing back the people from the window, and then drove off.

Once they were away, he lifted Peter out of his arms and onto the car-seat next to him. The boy was smiling.

"I like that game! Can we play it again?"

Tony chuckled. "Yes. But only if we see the cameras."

"Ok," he said, contentedly staring out of the window.

Tony was worried. He was worried that Peter wouldn't be okay at school, worried that the press would find him and terrorize him, worried that he would trip in fall during recess, worried that Peter wouldn't be able to find Happy after school, worried, it seemed, about everything. _So this is what it's like to have a kid._

"So, Pete, I have some work to do after school today. Is it ok if Happy picks you up? He'll be standing beside this car."

"Yeah. Can Uncle Rhodey come, too?"

Tony's mouth quirked up at the name. "We'll see, buddy. I'll ask him."

"Ok." That was Peter's answer to almost everything. It was short, simple, and it showed when he was fine with something. It was painless.

_I should start using that_.

xXx

"He wanted 'Uncle Rhodey' to come," Tony told his best friend fondly. Rhodey responded with a laugh, clapping Tony on the shoulder.

"You're doin' good work, man."

"I don't know. I'm worried about him."

"Why? He's at school."

"What if he trips? Or the Paps find him? Or if kids make fun of him? Or-"

His friend stopped him. "Pump the brakes, Tones. He's a smart kid, although small, he's smart. And you've given him all the tools he needs; Pete'll be fine."

Tony sighed, agreeing half-heartedly. Rhodey was about to say something else, but a phone ringing cut him off. They both looked around; it wasn't coming from either of their high-tech StarkPhones. Realizing what was happening, Tony cursed.

He answered. "Yeah?"

"Tony," came the familiar voice. That voice. The one he still heard in his head, which was now throbbing.

"So you and the Fantastic Five have been pardoned from crimes, Capsicle. You're welcome."

"You didn't tell me you had a kid." His tone was suspicious and incredulous. Another person to add to the 'I Don't Think Tony is Responsible' list.

"I didn't." He left it at that. If Steve wanted to just waltz back into the picture, American Flag waving, that was fine with him. But he didn't owe him anything. Not an explanation, not an apology, nothing. A nagging thought in the back of his mind whispered: _then why did you work so hard to pardon them?_

Silence from the Star Spangled Man with a Plan. Then, a sigh. "I'd like to meet with you, Tony. We all would... to talk."

"You didn't seem to want that before." This time, he couldn't help the bitterness that seeped through his words. This earned another sigh.

"What do you want? An apology? We all did things we regret."

Tony hummed, but chose to largely ignore that statement. "When would you like to _talk_?"

"Tonight? We want to meet Peter; we didn't see him on the news."

"I'll have to ask him, Captain, because a few nights ago he was wondering if Mr. America was going to hurt him. Come here tonight, tomorrow, I don't care, but you are not getting within a foot of my kid unless he wants to. Have a good night." He slapped the flip phone closed, a little too forcefully.

Rhodey nodded his approval, smirking. "Phone broke?"

xXx

"Hey, kiddo!" Tony greeted Peter as he came trotting off the elevator. He ran to his guardian, then stopped suddenly right in front of him, looking embarrassed. The billionaire tried to ignore it. "How was school?" Happy stepped off the elevator after the boy, giving a thumbs up to his boss.

"It was fine. We learned how to multiply today, but I already know that, so it was pretty boring."

"That's my mini genius," Tony smiled. "Listen, Pete… How would you feel about meeting Captain America?"

Many emotions passed across his kid's face. First, excitement. Then, confusion. The last one he really wasn't sure.

"Is he a good guy again?"

_According to the government. _"Yes, I think so."

"Didn't he… hurt you? And Uncle Rhodey?" Peter's face was scrunched, still holding that emotion that Tony couldn't place.

"It's ok, bud. We're all better now, but I understand if you don't want to see him."

"Why do you have to see him?"

_Good question_. "He wanted to talk to me… I said yes."

"Will Mrs. Pepper be there?"

Tony smiled at her name and some semblance of relief flooded through him. "Yes." _Thankfully. Who knows if I could have done this without her._

"Ok." This was the one time he wished Peter would elaborate.

"Ok yes you want to? Or ok no? Because if you would rather, Uncle Rhodey can take you-"

"Ok yes." The little boy went and hopped on the couch, pulling out his notebook. "He's on my bed. With the Hulk and Thor and you too." This was stated as a fact.

"Yeah kid. You know who else?"

"The Spider Lady and Arrow Guy. I can't remember their actual names." Peter appeared rather confident in his information, so Tony didn't correct him. He actually thought it would be hilarious for him to call Nat 'Spider Lady' and Clint 'Arrow Guy'.

"Do you have any homework?"

"No." Peter had retreated into his own mind, scribbling away.

"Alright. Up for a movie until Pep gets here?"

"Ok."

xXx

Tony chuckled when Peter scrunched up his eyebrows in concentration. He looked at his cards again, then decided on a 9. He threw it down in triumph, eyes lit, which he did at the end of every turn.

"I like this game. What's its name?"

"It's called Idiot. I used to play it all the time with my mom, when she was home. Whoever loses is the idiot." His heart ached a little, reliving the memory. It seemed like yesterday, but also so long ago. The fact was, he missed her.

Peter said matter-of-factly, "I don't want to be the idiot."

"Then I guess you better beat me," Tony replied between laughs. Pepper watched on with a soft smile, putting away dishes. Not out of necessity, but of habit; she stayed very organized and liked to do stuff herself. The whole "you can't get something done right unless you do it yourself" thing.

The elevator dinged, and only she noticed. Peter and Tony were in a bubble, playing cards, having fun. An occasional giggle from the boy lifted her smile even higher. Pepper made to greet the guests, standing about 5 feet from the metal doors.

"Who is it, FRI?" She called, already knowing the answer. It was never wrong to be sure.

"Mr. Rogers and Ms. Romanoff have arrived, ma'am."

She prayed Tony hadn't noticed yet. He was in a really good mood today… he needed a little more time with Peter. Masking her face with calm sincerity, Pepper nodded at the pair when they stepped off the elevator.

Steve was wearing a light gray sweater and jeans, making him look like a buff college student. His blonde hair was styled less rigidly, a few tufts going sideways. Nat had a white t-shirt and black leggings, appearing as graceful and composed as ever.

Pepper tried not to be angry with them. She'd seen Tony when he came back from Siberia… it wasn't pretty. "Hello again."

"Hi, Pepper," Steve said, a little awkwardly. Nat looked on, at Tony and Peter.

Tony was wearing a face of exaggerated surprise. "You _beat _me? _I'm_ the idiot? That can't be right, let me see your cards…"

Peter giggled, showing his empty hands. "Nope! I won!"

"Play like that, and you could go pro! No one's beaten me in years!"

The boy was delighted. He turned to find Pepper and show her his hands, but his eyes landed on the new strangers, face going still.

Tony noticed and turned as well, eyes clouding. "Ah. You're here." He stood. Peter hopped off of his chair and scampered behind his guardian, peeking at them from behind Tony's legs.

"Is that the Spider Lady?" He whispered. "And Captain America?"

Natasha's lips twitched in an attempt not to smile. "Yep, I'm the Spider Lady. And you must be Peter."

The little boy didn't respond.

"Let's sit in the living room," Tony said rigidly, guiding them to the gray couches. He placed Peter between him and Pep, making sure the boy felt safe. Steve and Nat sat on the couch adjacent, both crossing their arms. "This is Peter," he introduced. "Peter, this is Natasha and Steve."

"Hello," the kid said quietly, curling close to Tony.

"How old are you, Peter?" Steve asked.

"Six." He said, words muffled partially by his guardians suit jacket. "And a half," he added.

Pepper put a hand on his knee. "Peter, honey, do you want to tell them what grade you are in?"

"No."

She laughed, joined by the guests. Tony remained stock still, one arm around his kid's shoulders and the other clenched into a tight fist. His eyes were darker than normal, and they flashed with suspicion.

Nat was a little hurt by his stance. She had never seen Tony like this… suspicious of her. Yes, she was a spy, but he had always trusted her… until now. It was weird. Beside her, Steve initiated the conversation.

"So, the Accords."

"What about them?"

"You can't have just… made them disappear, Tony."

"I didn't."

He was being so vague that Steve showed signs of frustration, nose scrunching. He wasn't usually frustrated. "Then what did you do?"

Tony fiddled with Peter's curls absent-mindedly. "They're being rewritten, under my supervision and without our favorite Senator."

Nat's eyebrows raised. "How did you get Ross to agree with that?"

"Hah! That's a good one; he didn't."

"Do we get any say on the new Accords?"

"That depends, are you going to fight me in an airport about them?" Surprisingly, there wasn't as much malice in his words. He was mostly focused on Peter.

"Tony, that was a one time-"  
Too tired to continue the approaching argument, he interrupted, "Then sure. You can have a say. I'll go grab the first write-ups from the lab. Wanna come with me, bud, or stay here?" His voice was much softer when dealing with Peter.

"I'll stay with Mrs. Pepper." He unstuck himself from Tony's side and scooted to Pepper's. Once his guardian had left, he looked intensely at Steve. "Are you a good guy, or a bad guy? Tony says good, but I don't know."

Cap smiled sadly. "I don't know either. But I won't hurt you."

This seemed to satisfy him. A moment later he said, "You're on my bed."

Steve was startled by the sudden change in topic.

Pepper saved the day. "He has a bedspread of the Avengers," she explained. "He picked it himself."

"Iron Man is the best," Peter stated, not as an opinion. "He has repulsors and cool technology like the arc reactor."

"And you're not biased?" Asked Nat playfully.

"Nope."

She laughed, but he looked completely serious. Come to think of it, she'd only seen him smile when they first walked in, when he was playing cards with Tony. It was an adorable smile, gap-toothed and bright, but he didn't seem keen on showing it to everybody.

Nat almost dropped her coffee when she found out Tony had a kid.

"_Tony? Stark? This is the same guy we're talking about?"_

"_Apparently," Steve said. His mouth formed an 'O' almost comically. _

_A million questions ran through her head. Who is this kid? They said his name is Peter, but nothing else. When did it happen? Why?_

The man came back into the room, snapping her from her memory. He dropped a file, thick with papers, onto the ottoman in front of them with a whack. Tony sat back down, closer to Pepper so that he could put an arm around her and Peter.

"There you have it. Feel free to add an appendix."

A few more awkward exchanges, plans to meet again soon, and many sighs later, they were gone, and with them, Tony's anxiety. He allowed himself to breathe, forcing his hands to stop shaking.

Seeing them again had brought up some unpleasant memories, ones he really didn't want to think about for a long time.

xXx

"What happened?"

"I told you… suicide." Natasha rubbed her temples. "I guess the guy shot himself."

Steve grimaced. "And his Aunt and Uncle?"

"Both stabbed in a mugging, died less than 5 days after Richard. I don't know if that's bad luck or…"

"Or what? I mean, he's a good kid, but why would anyone want to isolate him? Besides, I can see the mugging as more than an accident, but the suicide? It doesn't seem normal."

"Yeah well, neither do one child's last three relatives dying within a week of each other."

The man leaned against his desk and folded his large arms, adopting a thoughtful expression. "You think Tony…?"

"There's no way he would've missed it. I just don't know if he's doing anything about it… but what if Peter's in danger? I didn't really believe it at first, but you saw how they are together; it would wreck him if that little boy got hurt."

"We can't do anything about it now, but let's talk to him about it when we see him on Friday."

"Yeah, yeah," Nat nodded. "Friday…"

Nat knew that Tony wouldn't want her digging around, Steve didn't either. But what if Peter was in trouble? She wouldn't do anything illegal… she'd just look into it. That was all.

**A/N: Hope you liked it! **

**REVIEWS:**

**I.D.'s Fantasy: Aww thank you! I'm glad you liked it!**

**Beachgirl25: Thanks! I hope you like the new chapter!**

**Konoewpl: This review made my day, you're too sweet. And we'll learn more about Richard soon, don't worry.**

**xSapphirexRosesxFanx: You'll find out soon! I hope you liked this chapter.**

**Belbelanne: Thank you!**

**monkeybaby: Thank you so much!**

**See you next time,**

**-katilange**


	3. The Future's a Mystery

**A/N: I'M SO SORRY. I have been in a serious slump recently when it comes to writing. Please just know that I haven't given up on any of my stories, they're just taking a little longer to come out. That's also why the chapter is a bit shorter :(**

**Anyways, I love you all, and please enjoy the chapter! Make sure to leave any suggestions/comments in the reviews below!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own This Isn't the End or any of it's lyrics/melody.**

**Warnings: Mentions of suicide.**

The woman inspected her bright red fingernails, admiring the shiny finish. She held the phone in between her shoulder and her ear, sighing at the person on the other side.

"I didn't know he would be adopted that soon. Much less by Tony Stark." Her brilliant scarlett hair curled in front of her eyes. Sweeping it away, she said, "I'm aware we needed more time, but there's nothing I can really do about it, can I?" Under her breath she muttered, "It would be so much easier if you'd thought for a minute."

A pause. "Are you kidding? That boy probably has more security than the President… No. We have to do this carefully. Yeah. Alright. Bye." She stood from the stone bench and chucked the burner phone into a trash can nearby.

It banged loudly, catching an older man's attention. He stared at her while she stood, but a quick smirk turned him back to his activities. Letting out a subtle grunt, she clenched her fist and looked up at the clouds.

"Why'd you have to have a kid, Parker? This just got a lot harder."

xXx

"Is Tony… is he my new dad?" Peter's brown eyes widened in earnest, gazing up at Pepper and exposing a vulnerability that she didn't see often. She had come into the living room a few minutes ago to tell him that Tony was in a meeting and would be late. Then, the little boy had set down his homework and asked her this. Hearing those words, she sat down next to him.

Pepper tried to keep her face even, but compassionate. "Honey, Tony could never replace your dad. Although he is technically your father, you can still call him by his name if it makes you more comfortable."

"Ok." He turned back to his notebook and asked shyly, "Are you my mom?"

At that, her heart swelled and brought a smile to her lips. "I'm going to marry Tony, so if you would like to think of me like that, you can."

"I haven't had a mom in a long time. That's what my Dad always said."

Peter didn't talk about his Dad very much, other than a passing comment, so she thought he didn't like to, and didn't ask.

"My Dad had brown hair, like me," he continued, pointing to his head. His other hand clutched a black pen tightly. "And his eyes were green. Not like me." Peter indicated his brown eyes. "He was a scientist."

The boy sat for a moment, then suddenly started to sniffle. Pepper reacted instantly, pulling him close and stroking his soft hair. Peter responded to her action by curling into a ball. He was now positioned in her lap with his knees tucked under his chin and her arms wrapped around his thin form.

"Hey, what's wrong, Peter?"

"Did… did my dad… hate me?"

With those words, Pepper's heart broke. How awful was it for a child to ask if their parent hated them? How was that fair?

"Oh, sweetie, no. I'm sure your dad loved you very much," She said, feeling her own eyes grow hot.

"The n-nurse said he… _chose_ to leave," Peter said between sniffs. "Why?"

"Sometimes, people get sad," Pepper began, struggling to explain this to a young child. "So sad that they can't see anything but how sad they are. And unfortunately, sometimes… we can't… do anything about it. And that's really hard, but you know what?"

"What?" His voice sounded so small and hopeful.

"I think you're strong. And I think you're a hero, honey, and I'm here to watch you do amazing things... since your mom and dad can't."

Peter was very still for a second. "My Daddy used to say I was going to be a hero…"

xXx

_6 Months Ago_

_OSCORP Research Center 13_

_New Jersey_

"_Sir, I would advise against human testing this early. The molecules within the current formula are unstable and-"_

_Norman Osborne held a silencing finger up at the scientist, ignoring her groan of protest. "Mirianne, I haven't spent millions of my money and my hours to wait any longer. Besides, the worst that could happen is loss of consciousness for a few minutes; I can deal with that."_

_She clenched her jaw in frustration. _Why was he always like this? Being cocky isn't always a good thing, _she thought._

_From behind her, a fellow scientist chuckled. Mirianne whipped around, "Shut it, Parker!" She let out a breath and ran a hand through her bright red hair. "All I'm saying is, it might be better to conduct a few extra tests just in case." _

"_Relax. I'll be fine." Dr. Osborne smiled, forehead wrinkling a little. Ever since he had Harry, she noticed he was beginning to look older. "If I'm not, you can have the company," he joked, winking. _

"_Now I want it to go wrong," she shot back, smiling reluctantly and retreating to join Parker in the observation booth._

_Norman placed a hand over his chest in faux offense, then suited up. After placing thick plates to protect his vital organs, he strolled into the test chamber. It was cylindrical, about 15 feet in diameter, and armored with titanium panels. A few sections were made of a strong glass so the researchers could watch safely._

_That day, the confidence in his scientific abilities nudged him into the chamber. _

_You could say that was the day everything changed._

xXx

"Guess what!" Peter clambered onto the leather seats and up into his booster seat, then closed the car door behind him. The Audi pulled away from the curb as he buckled up. From beside him, Tony grinned. This had quickly become one of his favorite times of the day.

"What, buddy?"

Backpack still securely attached to his shoulders, Peter clung to the straps tightly. "I made a friend today. His name is Harry."

"Oh? And what is Harry like?" From the front seat, Happy made eye contact with his boss in the rearview mirror. For once, the usually-grumpy security guard was smiling.

"He has black hair, and glasses," he said, making circles with his finger and covering his eyes. "And he's smart. We were in the same team for math today."

Peter's teacher had already informed Tony that Peter and other "gifted students", as she called them, would be placed together for harder work. This meant that Harry was actually really smart.

Tony ruffled the kid's hair. "That's good, Peter. What's his last name?"

"Uh… I don't remember. It was weird."

_Kids really don't have a filter. _"That's ok, it doesn't matter. As long as you have fun."

When they stepped off the elevator at the tower, Tony was expecting to see Pepper. She had cleared her schedule for the day so they could get dinner and watch a movie with Peter. And, he did see Pep… she just wasn't alone.

Natasha also sat on the couch, making small talk with his fiancee. Once they entered, both women turned their attention to him. Peter, who was holding his guardian's hand, pulled away and pointed at them.

"It's Spider Lady," he said evenly, brown eyes scanning her. A beat passed. "I like your shirt. That's my favorite color."

Somewhat surprised, Nat looked down at her shirt, which was a light blue. "Oh. Thank you." He nodded. She tore her gaze away from Peter and shifted it to Tony. "We need to talk."

He stifled a groan. "Why? Steve said he'd call when he wanted to."

"Stark." Natasha's tone was serious, hinting the importance of the conversation.

Tony sighed, and bent down to talk with Peter. "Hey, bud, how about you and Pep go pick out a movie for tonight?"

"Ok," he responded, skipping off with Pep.

The mechanic gestured to the elevator. "Let's head to the lab."

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading and for being so patient with me! I hope to get a schedule soon!**

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**Konoewpl: Thank you for the kind review! I hope you aren't disappointed in future chapters!**

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**See you next time!**

**-katilange**


	4. The Role of a Father

**A/N: Again I'm so sorry for the wait! Please don't think I have abandoned this story, I just have been taking a disgustingly long time to write. I'm gonna blame it on life, which has sucked this year. :) but I'm back with a new chapter finally! Please enjoy and make sure to leave any suggestions/comments in the reviews below!**

Tony collapsed into his bed at some unthinkable hour… he wasn't even sure when. Last time he checked the clock, it had been 2 am, and that seemed like forever ago. Pepper shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake up. _That's good, she needs some rest_. To be honest, so did he.

Regardless of his exhaustion, he tossed and turned under the gray duvet. After a few minutes of restlessness, he got up and walked quietly down the hall to Peter's room. The only noise in the empty tower was a distant ticking from the living room.

Tony stood in the doorway and looked at his kid's sleeping form, watching the blankets rise and fall with his breath. Leaning against the doorframe, he thought back on his conversation with Nat.

_Natasha followed him into the lab, footsteps hardly making a noise on the cement floor. A beat of silence passed as Tony thought, then he gestured to the corner and they moved to the seating area. She sat directly across from him, and he avoided her piercing gaze as much he could. It was still… awkward, to say the least. _

"_Tony," Nat started, characteristically serious. "We need to talk about Peter. More specifically, his dad."_

_The mechanic's eyebrow quirked upward. "What about his dad? What do you know about Richard?"_

"_I'm sure you were aware he worked for Oscorp." She paused to await his response, but he only nodded. "Right. Well, Richard was working on something big before he died. Really big."_

_Tony knew this, as he had looked into the Parkers before Peter was living with them. However, he decided not to dig through all the classified and top secret files. He could have, but he didn't. _Maybe that makes me a bad person, _he thought._

_To Natasha, he simply replied, "I know."_

"_And you're not at all interested?" She found this hard to believe. Tony was always the type of person to figure out as much as he could as fast as he could. _

"_It's not that I'm not interested in _what _he was working on. I just don't want to find more about… him." His eyes found a screw on the floor and stuck to it, trying not to clench his teeth._

_She observed him for a moment. "You don't care about Richard? Your adoptive son's father?"_

_Tony stood. "Why should I? That man never deserved to be a father! He left his son, an amazing, sweet kid alone, and he's _never _coming back. Why should I care what he was doing at that place?"_

_Nat leaned back, but otherwise did not show her surprise. The man huffed and returned to the couch, grunting a quick "sorry"._

"_You should care, Tony, because you're his dad now." She rested her hands in her lap. "And because it may have something to do with Peter."_

_Tony perked up, looking at her directly in the eyes now. "What?"_

"_I don't know exactly… yet. All I know is that the kid's name is on the top of some classified files."_

"_Why? What does a six year old have to do with Oscorp's top-secret project?" His brown eyes were alight with concern, eyebrows scrunched together enough to make wrinkles form on his forehead. _

_Nat noted his expression. "I don't know that either, Tony. But I'm just saying, you have to keep a close eye on Peter."_

"_I already am," he replied, sighing deeply and rubbing his face. "This is shaping up to be a very weird year."_

_She smiled a little. "I'll keep digging if you want me to. Steve and I can-_

"_You're going to help me?" Genuine disbelief framed Tony's features. "I mean, aren't you busy with…" he searched for a word, tapping a finger against his temple. "Something?"_

_Natasha felt some sadness at his words. "Tony…"_

"_No, no! It's fine. We don't have to have this conversation here. You can help if you want… just call me the second you find anything." He stood and began to make his way upstairs. "You know the way out."_

Peter looked so small in his room... Tony was reminded that he was just a kid.

"Jeez, bud," he whispered. "What was your dad doing?"

xXx

The room was empty. Every worker in the place had hours ago, leaving only a few papers scattered across the work tables. The papers held the information from that day, which had been mostly the same. Test. Record. Fail. Test. Repeat. So, the room was empty… at least it was to everyone else.

Norman Osborne paced back and forth. "It keeps failing."

His hoarse voice bounced off of the walls and back to him, creating an echo. He stopped and caught a reflection of the Man in the shiny metal surface. His hands rested lightly on a chair, seeming to be perfectly at ease.

"_It's time," _he said casually. "_Time is all that's stopping us."_

The Man looked exactly like Norman, except for the eyes. Osborne's were brown; this thing's were yellow, speckled with flecks of gold. He called it a thing because he wasn't quite sure what it was. A figment of his imagination? A side effect?

"We don't have enough…" he murmured in response, scratching his head.

"_You need that boy_."

The words echoed… _need that boy… need that boy…. need that boy._

Norman's eyes rapidly followed the voice as it appeared to move around him. He was going crazy, wasn't he? This was all just some dream, wasn't it? He scratched his head again.

"I can't just take him. Stark…"

His doppleganger smiled slowly. "Tony _Stark is just a man. But us? We're much more._"

_Much more… much more… much more…_

"Right. Right. But how?"

Osborne didn't even hear the response, just the echo of the words surrounding him.

_Harry… Harry… Harry…_

xXx

Tony awoke to a gentle tug on his arm. It had been one of the rare nights that he had gone to bed on time, finally tired of working. Pepper was pleased, and was now rested in the crook of his arm, sleeping deeply.

He opened his heavy eyelids and turned to the side, finding Peter right next to the bed. Tony was instantly more alert, gently removing his arm from around Pepper and sitting up.

"What is it, bud?" He kept his voice to a whisper, hoping to keep his fiance asleep.

The little boy had his blanket clutched tightly in his small hands, and he seemed uneasy.

"I don't feel good…" Peter whispered back, looking down. He sniffled softly, but not softly enough as Pepper sat up slowly and looked over.

"What feels sick?" Tony leaned over and felt the kid's head. It wasn't super hot, but he couldn't really tell if that was good or bad. He had never done this kind of thing before.

"My stomach," Peter replied.

"Well, we can't have that." The man scooped him onto the bed next to Pepper, draping his blanket over them. "You stay here with Pep for a bit, alright? I'll go get some meds." Tony left them, heading for the kitchen cupboard. He learned what medicine to buy from all the parenting books he read before they got Peter.

The little boy curled into a ball against Pepper, gripping his stomach. She rubbed his back in slow circles, forehead scrunched in concern.

"Do you feel like you're going to throw up, Peter?"

He shook his head and began to cry lightly. "It hurts…"

She sat up in bed a little more, brushing his hair back and feeling his head with the back of her hand. Tony had already done this, but she wanted to check again. It was warm, and small drops of sweat were beginning to form on his pale skin. They joined the stream of tears coming from his tightly shut eyes.

"Tony!" Pepper called. "Get the thermometer, too!"

"Ok," he responded, adding it to the small collection of medicine in his arms. "Does he have a fever?" Tony asked as he walked back into the room.

"I don't know… I can't tell. He's sweating."

The man sat on the bed and leaned down next to his kid. "Hey, Pete," he said softly. "Do you think you can sit up and take some medicine? It'll help with the pain."

The kid nodded and lifted his head.

"Ok buddy, you're gonna take this little pill." He paused and held it up. "And put it in your mouth with some water. Then, you swallow. It'll make you sleepy and hopefully help. Sound good?"

Peter nodded again, following his guardian's instructions and taking the pill. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Of course you can sweetie," Pepper answered, laying back down. Tony placed his armful of medications on the bedside table and flopped down so he was on the other side of Peter. He decided that they would worry about a fever tomorrow. The little boy curled against him.

"Thank you, daddy," he said, and quickly fell asleep.

**A/N: thank you for reading! I hope to have a new chapter out sooner, as I'm finishing up one of my other ongoing stories.**

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**Beachgirl25: thank you for your sweet review! I'm glad you like the story. :)**

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**Fangirl 5V: Hi! Thanks for your review and don't worry! I will never stop updating a story, sometimes it just takes me a long time. :) I hope you keep enjoying my story.**

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**See you next time!**

**-katilange**


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